heart of glass
by ghostly lady
Summary: He keeps his head high, careless and arrogant, like a king. She keeps her books close, unable to stand him. Despite her young age, miss Chase knows exactly what she wants; she wants to graduate, go to college, travel... and most importantly, she wants to stay away from Percy Jackson. But, you know what they say - if you want to made God laugh, tell him about your plans.


**Author's note: Hey there! This is my first fanfiction in this fandom and I am pretty nervous. I couldn't decide whether I should post it or not, because everyone is so OOC it's crazy. Mostly. For now, at least. But then I thought, so what? This is an AU anyway. However, just in case I annoyed anyone... please don't hit me, okay? * hides behind Hades ***

 **I don't know if I'll continue it. I just thought I should give the idea a shot. Enjoy, hopefully. (:**

* * *

Annabeth Chase was never late.

Like a handle of a clock, she followed the hours in a perfect rhythm, even when tiredness threathened to consume her. There was absolutely nothing that a cup of hot coffee couldn't fix, nothing in the world. Or at least, so she thought.

With studying taking up most of her time, she didn't really get to sleep much, if at all. Somewhere in between the warmth of her bedroom, the dim glow of her night lamp, a pile of books spilled on her bed and laughter ringing in the cool, night air, she was dancing on the edges of insanity. Thalia managed to pull her out of the house almost every evening, claiming that it was good for that big brain of hers to relax, anyway. Annabeth couldn't find it in herself to disagree. Tension settled deep in her muscles, like a disease, and she felt it seep out of her while they talked on the swings or watched movies, eating salty popcorn and drinking coke in the darkness of the theatre.

Most of the time, it was more than just the two of them. Their whole group gathered together, always dismissing the subject of school and exams, tossing it aside like a toy, because it was the last thing anybody wanted to worry about in moments of freedom. It was quite a healthy balance; studying, social life, studying. But it left Annabeth little time for naps. She probably wouldn't have noticed, or even cared, if not for the fact that the lack of proper rest had finally taken its toll on her and she slept in.

When her mother came to wake her, announcing it was eight o'clock, she stumbled out of bed in a dizzying speed, feet landing firmly on the cold, wooden floor, blonde hair spilling out of her bun messily. She barely had any time to get ready, let alone eat breakfast. Grabbing an apple from a bowl, she threw her handbag over her shoulder and raced out the door, into the windy, cloudy weather, not bothering to go back inside to get a jacket or a hoodie. Her stomach turned when she walked into the bus, breathless with exhaustion. The driver only raised an eyebrow at her, smiling, and she ran her hand through her long, soft hair, feeling her cheeks flood with heat. He had almost left without her.

Trying to avoid everyone's eyes, she moved towards her usual seat, where Thalia was already waiting for her. Her dark brows were drawn together anxiously, her blue eyes clear and shining in the fresh light of the day. Annabeth sat down beside her, accepting the plastic cup of steaming coffee into her hand.

Wordlessly, she took a sip. The liquid spread through her pleasantly, burning her tongue slightly. It was sweet; lots of milk and lots of sugar, just the way she liked it.

'' What happened to you? '' Thalia asked quietly.

Annabeth leaned into the seat. '' I didn't hear my alarm clock. ''

'' Oh dear, '' Thalia sighed, shaking her head. '' I never thought I'd see the day. You. Running here like your life depended on it. That's my job. ''

Annabeth rolled her eyes with a smile, absently smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt. '' Not a job. Fault. That's your _fault_. ''

'' Entirely. I'm bad influence. ''

Annabeth laughed, and opened up her bag with one hand clumsily.

'' Are you nervous? '' She asked, digging through her stuff. Her fingers came across two lipsticks - one blood red, the other pale pink, barely visible except for a warm glow when on her mouth - and a mascara. She didn't usually wear much make up. Sometimes, none. Rest of the space was taken up by her textbooks and a small bottle of water.

'' Kind of, '' Thalia admitted, shrugging. '' But, whatever. I'll survive. ''

When Annabeth finally got a hold of a small, leather bound journal, she took it out, then handed it to Thalia.

'' These are my notes. Take a look through them, we can still go over the material if there's something you don't understand. ''

The girl beamed, placing the journal on her lap. '' Thank God, your notes always save the day. My day, anyway. Especially when it comes to maths, '' she grimaced. '' How much time do I have? ''

Annabeth glanced at the watch wrapped lightly around her wrist. '' About... twenty minutes. ''

'' Great. Uh, it doesn't matter anyway, right? It's not like we're graduating, the most important exams will be on next year, right? '' Thalia said hopefully, biting her lower lip. '' Right...? ''

'' Yeah, of course, '' the blonde assured her. '' But it would help if you passed these, because you might have to repeat the year- ''

'' Ah, screw it. ''

Annabeth pursed her lips. She had offered Thalia study sessions before, but the girl refused, always littering herself with excuses. It seemed like a waste of potential, because she was naturally intelligent. Annabeth truly believed that Thalia could not only pass but get at least a B in every subject, though it would have been a lot easier if she wasn't so stubborn about actually getting down to work and paying attention in class.

When the bus came to a lazy stop, Annabeth looked around, surprised. A few people - mostly elderly - were already making their way out. She took another sip of her coffee hurriedly and reached into her handbag again, feeling around blindly for a notebook, where she also kept her notes. While the journal held her understandings of mathematics, physics, chemistry and business, the notebook was inked with information on literature, biology and history.

Their first exam was on English.

'' Annabeth, '' Thalia said, nudging her leg.

Annabeth didn't react. Her heart almost skipped a beat, forehead crinkled in confusion.

'' Annie! ''

The sound of her name turned into a hiss. Still, she didn't react. Instead, she searched frantically for her little treasure, trying to figure out whether she had left it at home or not, rummaging through her memory and coming up blank. She was almost sure she had thrown it into her bag.

With a sigh, Thalia simply pushed past her, squeezing herself through the gap between her legs and the seat. Annabeth's head finally snapped up at that moment, eyes going wide.

'' What's up? ''

'' I think I forgot my notebook. ''

'' You'll have to do without, '' Thalia said. Then she turned around, motioning for Annabeth to follow her with a smooth gesture of her hand. '' Come on already. ''

But Annabeth was frozen in the seat, her heart sinking in disappointment. She was supposed to look through the notes on Shakespeare at home but couldn't make it; and now this. It seemed that she would just have to go by what she remembered.

By the time she accepted that fact and gave up, Thalia was already gone.

Annabeth zipped up her handbag and made a move to stand up and join her, when she felt someone looming over her, like a cloud. Someone who smelled of snow and leather. She looked up, for the second time; yet the difference was that instead of being met with the familiar, blue eyes of her best friend, a pair of green ones melted into her.

Green like a leaf put to sunlight, like seaweed swaying gently in the water. Green, with long, dark lashes and mouth curved into a smile.

She knew this face all too well.

'' Looking for something, Annabeth? ''

Frustration sparked inside of her. It didn't surprise her at all that he was holding her notebook in his hand, waving it in front of her face as a child would wave a lollipop at another child, almost mocking them. Blood rushed to her cheeks, second time this morning.

'' Give me that, '' she said angrily.

'' Finders keepers. ''

God, he was such a jerk sometimes.

There was a cigarette in his other hand, unlit, probably because Phill, the driver, had warned him against smoking inside the vehicle too many times already.

'' How did you get this? '' She managed to ask, sticking her chin out to point at the notebook, somehow without sounding like a growling lion.

Percy shrugged. '' It was lying on the ground. ''

Annabeth cursed her luck, gritting her teeth. It must have fallen out of her handbag at some point... Why? Her day hasn't begun well at all; running into Percy Jackson before even stepping into the school building was just a cherry on top of the mess. The blessed mornings when he had his father give him a lift to school were always better.

'' It has my name on it, it's mine, '' she insisted.

Percy smiled again - or smirked, really - cocking his head to the side. '' So, if you had my name tattooed on you- ''

Before he could finish the sentence, she stepped onto his foot with the flat heel of her shoe. He winced, but apart from that, showed no indication that she had caused him any pain. Made no sound.

She was horrified when she realized that the bus was moving forward again. Percy laughed, and she stepped onto his foot one more time, barely supressing the urge to spill the rest of her coffee on him and his stupid, expensive clothes.

'' Don't worry, '' he said, winking at her. '' I'm sure we'll get to school in time. ''

'' Shut up! '' Annabeth snapped, finally getting up to snatch the notebook from his grasp. He didn't try to stop her.

When it was in her hands again, she whacked him on the head, then sank back into the soft seat, groaning. The hatred that she held in her heart for this boy was impossible to explain; it burned brighter than the sun.

Taking a breath to calm herself, she opened up the notebook, willing her panic to dissolve. It was okay. The bus would take the usual root, then go back to the station she was supposed to get off at. If she ran to school after that, she'd make it.

She attempted to focus on the yellow pages, where each corner contained a faint drawing of a butterfly and underneath lived her notes on Hamlet. But someone was breathing on her cheek. She didn't need to turn around to know who.

 _Ignore him_ , she told herself firmly. _Then he'll go away._ At least none of his friends were with him. That was _always_ a plus.

She could feel his gaze following the sentences, flicking from the notebook to her.

 _Ignore him. Ignore him, ignore him, ignore-_

'' You have beautiful handwriting, '' he said.

'' And you have pathetic pick up lines, seaweed brain. ''

He paid no attention to the nickname she had given him so long ago and grinned. Why was it always like that?

Annabeth liked to think of herself as a sensible girl. She had quite a normal, steady life, with loving parents - despite the struggles of divorce - and a small group of closest friends. Her grades were excellent. The only things that didn't fit into her daily rutines were Percy and his friends. Percy and smoke coming out of his mouth, Percy and motorcycles, Percy and detention. Percy was trouble. They had disliked each other ever since she could remember, but lately he had been more annoying than ever and she had no goddamn idea why.

Silence fell between them at last. She still felt his presence behind her. It was making her uneasy, though she had heard him back away and lean into his seat. Licking her lips, she reread the sentences on the sunlit paper, but the words didn't even echo in her mind. Her anger was too alive to let her focus on anything.

She snapped the notebook shut and turned in the direction of the dark haired boy behind her, glaring.

'' If I'm late because of you, I'll make you regret the day you were born. ''

'' I tremble already, '' he said, pulling a lighter out of his pocket. He lit the cigarette, holding it between his lips, and the words came out kind of muffled.

The bus pulled to a stop. Annabeth was just about to comment on him smoking, call him an asshole maybe, when Phill stomped over to them, cheeks aflame with annoyance.

Phill was in his fifties, slim and tall, with a grey beard, moustache, and a green beanie usually covering the top of his head. He was quite a nice guy, easy to get along with - unless pissed off.

His hand shot out, long finger pointing at Percy accusingly.

'' You! '' He roared.

Annabeth had to hide her smile.

The woman who had just entered the bus stopped to stare at them, placing her hand on her swollen stomach. Quite a few pairs of eyes turned on them along with hers, but that was nothing unusual. Not for Annabeth.

'' Did I not tell you not to smoke in my bus? Did I not? ''

'' Is that a rhethorical question? '' Percy answered, sounding genuinely confused.

Phill crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. '' You're in a public place. You're on the way to school, for Christ's sake! ''

'' To school? Well, don't you mean devil's sake then- ''

Phill slammed his fist down on an empty seat.

'' Put that out or I'm going to put _you_ out! ''

Percy sighed, inhaled, blew a puff of smoke out of his throat, then dropped the cigarette and squashed it with his shoe. Slowly. Almost too slowly.

'' For the love of all things holy! '' Phill snapped, walking back into the driver's seat without sparing another glance in their direction. '' I should have stayed in prison. ''

The pregnant lady then took a seat as well, right after him, blinking rapidly.

Well. Phill used to work as a guard in prison. Seeing him shout and ramble like that probably gave some people the wrong idea - that perhaps he was the one behind the bars, rather than the one holding the gun by law - but Annabeth guessed that was their problem, not his.

She turned away from Percy, ignoring his gaze, deciding that he had absorbed too much of her time already, and threw the notebook back into her handbag. The next stop was where she was getting out - where they were _both_ getting out. Unfortunately.

The sky growled above them. Out of nowhere, abruptly, rain began to fall, crystal clear drops beating rapidly against the windows, blurring the view on both sides. She wanted to bang her head on the seat in front of her.

Perfect. What a way to start the day.


End file.
